Generations of Faith Project

Tomorrow our Archdiocese hosts a seminar on this program,

Exploring the Vision and Practice of Lifelong Catechesis for the Whole Parish Community.

The Generations of Faith web site includes a long summary [PDF].

Yet catechesis across the United States and Canada is still struggling under the burden of an outdated model of faith formation that is actually creating more problems than it is solving. Embracing the vision of faith formation in the General Directory for Catechesis requires moving away from the schooling paradigm to a community or "whole church" paradigm of faith formation.

I have some doubt about a program that seeks to replace an "outdated" approach while itself using the word "paradigm."

It goes on to use a hypothetical parish to illustrate.

Imagine a parish that is embracing this vision of faith formation and preparing the entire faith community for Lent...

Lent is coming and the entire community of Holy Family Parish is preparing to immerse themselves in the Lenten season through liturgy and prayer (Ash Wednesday, the Sunday liturgies, Holy Week, Stations of the Cross), justice and service (food and clothing collection, Operation Rice Bowl), and community life activities (Lenten meals)-in the parish and at home. ...

Much of what goes on now could be described in the same words, so I wonder how different this is, in practice. Plus, talk of the "entire faith community" is cheap. Page 20 this vision and program description talks of reaching the "Congregation as a whole" with a "2-page bulletin insert." A large majority of our congregation is not at Sunday Mass, some who are don't take a bulletin, some who take it don't read it, some who read it aren't going to read a 2 page insert, and some who read the insert will be unmoved.

If they can show me that this program transforms parishes into places where the majority of parishioners are at Mass, taking the bulletin, and reading these 2 page inserts, then I'm sold.